


Counterfeit Courting with the Count

by slashyrogue



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Hannibal doesn't want to get married, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, Will is a spinster
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 18:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6868477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashyrogue/pseuds/slashyrogue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off a Tumblr Prompt:  “I’m sorry but who are you?”</p><p>It started with a declaration. </p><p>“You will marry before the month is out, William or I will make a match for you.”</p><p>Will Graham is a nineteen year old spinster who pines for his friend Alana. He meets Hannibal Lecter on a visit to Margot Verger's estate, and the two decide to fake a courting. Soon Will does not wish for it to end, but does the rakish Count feel the same? </p><p>One of my favorite Tumblr prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Counterfeit Courting with the Count

It started with a declaration. 

“You will marry before the month is out, William or I will make a match for you.”

Will stared at his father coldly, “I am nearly twenty father, that does not make me a spinster.”

His father sighed, rubbing his eyes. 

“I want to see you taken care of by someone who loves you that is all. I want to know you are happy.”

Will grabbed his father’s hands, kneeling before him as he begged, “Then do not make me chose someone I do not love.”

Alexander Graham let Will’s hands go and said, “Then find someone you do.”

There was only one person Will did love, his best friend Alana Bloom but she only had eyes for Lady Margot Verger who was nearing marriageable age soon and he knew despite her interest in both sexes she would not love him like he wanted. 

So that only meant marriage to a stranger, possibly an evil shrew of a wife or a tyrant of a husband who he would be slave to. 

His father didn’t seem to care as long as he was taken care of, and when Will was at Lady Margot’s home not long after for tea telling his friends the woes his father was bringing to him they seemed at the very least sympathetic to his plights. 

Beverly had been recently engaged to her longtime suitor Brian Zeller, a soldier just recently home from the war. They were deliriously happy, so she did not see Will’s reasoning. 

“You have mooned over Alana long enough, Will, inviting suitors to woo you is quite fun. You will enjoy it.”

Will sighed, looking to Margot who seemed almost worried that they were in her home despite the invitation her brother Mason had awarded them. 

“Are you excited, Margot?”

She seemed on the verge of tears as she nodded, “Beyond, when Mason lets…”

The door opened and all three of them turned their heads at the arrival he saw Mason Verger enter with another man in tow who looked to be several years Will’s senior. 

“Wonderful, you did have some of them come around!” He said, clapping his hands together, “Though less than I had hoped. Hannibal it looks like we’ll have to fight if one of us wants the same.”

Will blushed, “Sir, I was not aware that this was a marriage market. If I had no doubt my answer would have been no.”

The man Mason had arrived with, Hannibal apparently, raised an eyebrow, smirking, “You must be well over twenty, sir, no doubt looking for a marriage of convenience like all the others.“ 

Will glared at him. “Not everyone wants money over love, Sir.”

Hannibal’s smile grew, “Count, actually, Count Hannibal Lecter at your service.”

He took Will’s hand as he said this, bringing it to his lips in an obvious gesture of declaration. Will tried not to flush. “Will Graham, just average with no title.”

Hannibal let his hand drop, his smile still genuine as Will was used to fake ones. “Beauty such as yours always has more value than any single title could.”

Will could feel his cheeks flush as he said, “I would not know of such things.”

Mason laughed suddenly, “It looks as if you’ve chosen first! Lady Beverly?”

Beverly glared, “I am soon married, as you well know.”

Mason scoffed, “Well Hannibal, there may be a duel on our hands.”

Just then a door knocking interrupted them, and the butler let in more guests: Lady Alana, Lady Fredericka, and to Will’s horror, Frederick Chilton whose eyes lit up at the sight of him. 

He stood, “I believe I need some air,” Will said with a frown, heading from the room out to the back terrace. 

He took a breath, feeling overwhelmed by it all. 

“You only make them intrigued more with your flight, I have never seen Chilton’s eyes light up that excitedly before.”

Will glared. “I’m sorry, but who are you?”

Hannibal laughed, “An appreciative audience, Mr. Graham. Your candor makes you intriguing even to me since I myself have no need for a marriage and have had the prospect flung at me as I imagine you have.”

Will sighed, “So we share in our miseries.”

Hannibal touched his shoulder and Will turned to stare at him. The longer he did the more attractive Hannibal was starting to become much to his surprise and slight annoyance. 

“Or we could attempt to squash them.”

Will swallowed, “Is this a proposal?”

Hannibal smiled. “Of a sort. I propose you allow me to join the line of your potential suitors and act the fool, while you do the same in mine. Our parents Will immediately dread our wedding when we announce it, and call off the engagement.”

Will thought for a moment and asked, "How will we do this? I do not see my father rejecting a Count.“

Hannibal took Will’s hand and brought it to his lips before declaring, "I promise you before the month is out you will be free to do as you please.”

Will smiled, “Then, I will hold you to your promise sir.”

What could possibly go wrong?

As it turned out, over the next two weeks, Hannibal Lecter was the worst person on the planet or at least that’s what his father continued to say every time he came to take Will somewhere.

There were several rumors floating about that Count Lecter was secretly a flesh peddler, luring young people into his web and selling them to the highest bidder. Also someone had told Will during one of his many suitor visits that Hannibal actually drank human blood to sustain himself and was rarely seen in the daylight despite Will having met him during a morning tea the both of them standing directly in sunlight as they cooked up their scheme. 

Will was delighted, going out with Hannibal to men’s clubs and balls, dancing in the man’s arms so seemed to get such pleasure out of Will’s flippancy as they scandalized the ton. 

It would be almost sad to walk away from, but Will did not let himself think that far ahead. 

Until Will was forcibly thrown out of the Lecter ball for having the audacity to say he thought the working class deserved higher wages and equal pay, and said if a servant had asked to court him he would have given them his true attentions. Hannibal’s mother had almost swooned when his little sister had said, “Does that mean I can marry the horse stabler, mother?”

He couldn’t imagine what would happen when they announced their engagement this evening at the Verger Ball. 

His father refused to let Hannibal into their home as Will was banned from Hannibal’s, so they would meet on the dance floor and Hannibal planned on asking for his hand in the very center of it all. 

There were butterflies in Will’s stomach at the idea, he knew it would be for show but even imaging it made him torn between wishing it were real and hoping this would all end soon. 

You see, Will was in danger of falling for Hannibal Lecter. Even now he longed to see him, delight in his wickedly winsome smile and possibly feel those lips on his hand once more. 

He sighed, tying his cravat and staring in the mirror at the foolish boy before him. 

“Will?”

He turned to see his father behind him. 

“Yes father?”

Will watched as his father came into the room and went down on his knees before him. 

“Please, do not marry Count Lecter. I will not forbid it, but I implore you now that if you do this will be the last you see of me.”

Will froze. “You would disown me?”

His father said, “I would dissolve any dowry you would be given and strip away your rights to your inheritance.”

Will frowned, “Father, that cannot be much.”

Alexander Graham started to sob, grabbing onto Will’s legs as he said, “Please, my boy I beg of you. You will never have to marry if this man is the one you desire above all others!”

Will said, “Father, I…give me leave to think on this.”

His father wiped tears from his eyes and stood up rather wobbly, nodding once as he started to leave. 

“Your mother would want so much more for you.”

Will felt an ache in his chest as his father left, feeling worse than he already had. He was torn between asking Hannibal for a chance at reality or letting this farce pass, but now even if he did learn Hannibal cared for him his father would disown him. 

As he rode in the carriage with his father towards the ball, Will said, “Father, if you learned that every bad thing you’d heard of Hannibal were false and his behavior a ruse for your benefit would you allow me to…?”

His father put a hand on Will’s and said, “I would call you false, son, bubbly headed and lovesick.”

Will had tears in his eyes as he got out of the carriage not long after and headed right for Hannibal whose eyes lit up at the sight of him. 

“Will, I must…”

“There is no need to do this anymore.”

Hannibal frowned, “What do you mean?”

Will swallowed and said, “Prior to our coming here my father told me I do not have to ever have to marry, as long as I do not marry you.”

Hannibal’s face was a mask, cold and emotionless. “I see. Then I do declare our machinations have done what we intended.”

Will nodded, “I…”

Hannibal took Will’s hand and brought it to his lips before he said ever so softly, “I wish you all the best in the world,” he touched Will’s cheek and felt him shiver, “There is no one more deserving.”

Will couldn’t speak as he turned to go, his shoulders beginning to shake as he put a hand over his mouth and hurried out into the Verger gardens throwing himself onto the nearest bench to sob out his broken heart. 

He was there for only a moment when a voice asked, “Will, what’s happened,”

It was Alana.

He sat up, wiping his face as he confessed, “I just turned away the person I think I am in love with for my father.”

Alana sat down beside him, her arm around his own, “I am so sorry. I…I am quite heartsick myself, Mason has promised Margot to Frederick Chilton.”

Will sniffled, “I am sorry for you as well then, I…”

Alana kissed him before Will could even finish, a chaste kiss to be sure but the intention was clear. 

“We can drown our sorrows in each other’s company?”

Will swallowed, “I…I cannot, I’m sorry,” he stood and wiped his cheeks, “I cannot sit by and allow my father to destroy my happiness and I implore you to follow your heart. Do what you feel is right.”

Alana smiled. “I wish you plenty of luck, Will.”

Will took a deep breath and headed for the ball, heading right into the ballroom and going for his father who seemed surprised at his arrival. 

“Father I…”

His father smiled, grabbing Will’s arms as he said, “My son! Congratulations! I have spoken with Count Lecter and we have cleared the air I am overjoyed that you fell in love my son! I wish you such luck in your marriage and…where is Hannibal?”

Will frowned, “What?”

His father asked, “He was here a moment ago, telling that he would find you and declare his intentions I imagined you both would be hand in hand. Has he went to dote on you already?”

Will said, “I have not…”

His father frowned, “I told him that several other guests had told me you were in the garden so I just assumed…”

Will paled, “Oh no.”

Hannibal had seen Alana kiss him. 

“Father I must go.”

Will ran out of the ball and asked the servant holding the door, “Have you seen Hannibal Lecter leave?”

“Yes, just a moment ago. He was headed for the stables.”

Will ran out of the Verger home, cursing as it started to rain but not stopping as he found the stables and rushed inside. Hannibal was standing with his back to him, jacket off and sleeves rolled up as he brushed one of the horses. 

“Hannibal?”

Will watched him freeze but not turn. 

“I have spoken to my father.”

“If you have come to apologize for my intentions being misconstrued there is no need.”

Will walked to him and put his hand on Hannibal’s shoulder feeling him tense. “I have come to accept your proposal, though I…”

Hannibal pushed him off with a growl, “Lady Bloom’s affection has already grown old?”

Will shook his head. “She kissed me, I did not return it I swear to you. All it did was make me so sure that I would move heaven and earth to be with you. Defy my father and refuse my name.”

Hannibal’s angry frown became slightly less angry, “Romeo and Juliet now, Will? And you…you really did not want Lady Alana?”

Will touched his face. “I only want to make mischief with you and no one else.”

Hannibal smiled before pulling him in for a kiss that had Will trembling in his arms his tight grip a vice he never wanted to break out of. They parted breathlessly and smiled at each other. 

“I do believe I owe you a proposal,” Hannibal said, touching his nose. 

Will laughed, “That was not one?”

“Not a proper one, no.”

Hannibal let him go and reached for his jacket, pulling out a ring box that he opened going down on one knee before him.

“William Graham, will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

Will let him put it on and shivered when the only lips that would ever touch his skin again pressed them to the ring, waiting for an answer. 

“Yes, Count Lecter, I will marry you.”

Hannibal stood and kissed him again, shivering, as he tasted Will in a recklessly forbidden embrace that had them both aching for more. 

When they parted he kissed Will’s forehead and said, “I do believe I came through with my promise.”

Will smiled at him. “Yes, and I have chosen quite wisely.”

They walked hand in hand back to the ball, Will laughing when Hannibal held up his hand and declared to the room, “The vicious Count has found his last victim!”

He found out from Beverly that Alana and Margot had taken off to marry without permission and Mason had taken after them, though the head start they had would ruin his chance of stopping them. 

His father seemed to get a kick out of his future son in law’s reputation for wickedness and was flaunting him around while Will watched happily. 

Bev tapped his shoulder and smiled, “See, I knew allowing yourself to be wooed would be fun for you,” she lifted his hand with wide eyes, “Marriage will suit you, especially with this to show off.”

Will stared at Hannibal, whose eyes came to his and winked, “I think marriage will suit me very well indeed.”


End file.
